The present invention relates to an electrically powered slicing knife, and in particular to an electric knife having a switch guard functioning to reduce the possibility of injury to a user of the knife when the user desires to remove the blades thereof.
Electrically operated slicing knives are among the most popular small kitchen electrical appliances. Most of these slicing knives comprise a pair of blades releaseably secured together and reciprocated by a suitable electric motor contained in a housing. The blades are in sliding contact with each other.
During normal usage of the slicing knife, for example, when cutting meat, the blades become dirty and require cleaning. During the cutting operation, the blades are securely held within the knife housing and are connected to the motor. To enable the blades to be readily cleaned, it is desirable that the blades be easily removable from the housing. To minimize the potential of injury to the user, it is important that the knife include means to reduce the possibility that the knife will be accidentally energized when the blades are being either removed from or reinserted into the housing.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide in an electric slicing knife means to minimize the possibility of injury to a user when the user is removing blades from the knife housing.